JBS Centre for Entrepreneurship Positions UJ at the Forefront of Africa’s Cybersecurity Skills Development Through Google.org Programme

In direct response to this challenge, the Centre for Entrepreneurship at the Johannesburg Business School (JBSCE), at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), has successfully completed the first cycle of the Google.org Cybersecurity Seminars Programme, positioning UJ as a leading African contributor to cybersecurity capacity-building across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Selected as one of only two universities in Africa to receive this prestigious Google.org grant, the JBS Centre for Entrepreneurship is delivering a two-year initiative designed to produce practical, job-ready cybersecurity professionals while strengthening the digital resilience of local community organisations.

Google.org provides the funding, tools, and training support, while global nonprofit Virtual Routes contributes deep expertise in programme design and applied cybersecurity education. JBSCE translates this global framework into a locally relevant, high-impact learning experience tailored to South Africa’s cyber realities.

When applications opened in December 2024, the response highlighted the scale of the national skills gap. The programme received 583 applications across five provinces. After a rigorous screening process, the programme team selected only 50 learners. By the end of the 2025 cycle, the programme had supported 60 participants, including additional learners engaged through bootcamps and practical workshops. Despite connectivity challenges and loadshedding disruptions, learners maintained an impressive 82% average attendance rate, supported by recorded lectures, offline materials, and structured academic monitoring.

JBSCE delivered the programmes through five progressive modules forming a structured Short-Learning Programme. Learners progressed from cybersecurity hygiene and foundational principles to cryptography and digital forensics, and then to malware analysis, ethical hacking, and cyber governance. In addition, the programme exposed participants to Intelligent Systems and machine learning using TensorFlow, highlighting the growing intersection between AI and cybersecurity.

The teaching approach emphasised experiential learning and practical immersion. Students from diverse technical backgrounds were guided step by step through increasingly complex concepts, ensuring not only understanding but confident application.

A defining feature of the programme was its practical engagement model. Learners worked in teams supporting Local Community Organisations (LCOs), implementing real cybersecurity improvements such as multi-factor authentication, password policy strengthening, phishing simulations, backup protocols, and incident response drills. This created a dual benefit: learners gained hands-on experience while organisations improved their cyber resilience.

The programme culminated on 29 January 2026 with a hybrid Final Cybersecurity Showcase and Certification Ceremony hosted at the Johannesburg Business School. Rather than a traditional graduation, the event served as a live demonstration of learners’ capabilities. Students participated in a cyber war-room simulation and a real-world style security assessment, analysing simulated attacks, identifying vulnerabilities, compiling professional reports, and presenting their findings to mentors and industry experts.

Max Smeets, Co-Director of Virtual Routes, commended the JBSCE approach during the ceremony, noting that the Centre’s programme is designed not only to provide practical cybersecurity education across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, but also to ensure that students can apply these skills within local community organisations. He described JBSCE as pioneering the implementation of practical cybersecurity training alongside organisational engagement.

Also sharing his reflections was Sifundo Ngubane from the UJ Technopreneurship Centre, one of the programme facilitators. He highlighted how the programme took students from introductory to advanced cybersecurity using hands-on labs every weekend, where learners solved challenges in groups, presented solutions, and engaged in technical discussions. He emphasised that the instructors treated the final assessment as a professional security engagement with a real SMME environment, requiring students to conduct a penetration test, produce a full report with an executive summary, and present their findings — exactly what would be expected in a workplace setting.

Participants received Certificates in Cybersecurity, Certificates in Intelligent Systems, and Bootcamp Participation Certificates, recognising the completion of a demanding and applied learning journey.

Strong academic leadership at JBSCE supported the programme’s success, and the Centre is using the valuable insights gained to shape an even stronger 2026 model with improved learner readiness and earlier practical onboarding.

Through Google.org’s investment, Virtual Routes’ expertise, and the JBSCE’s delivery capability, this initiative has translated funding into measurable skills development, meaningful community impact, and industry-ready cybersecurity talent.

In a time when Africa urgently needs professionals capable of protecting digital infrastructure, JBSCE is doing more than offering training; it is proudly building the next generation of African cyber defenders.